BROADCASTING

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11706, 19 December 1923, Page 9

BROADCASTING

FORMATION OF COMPANY PROPOSALS PLACED BEFORE POST-MASTER-GENERAL. INTERESTING DISCUSSION. Questions concerning the formation oi a broadcasting company were discussed ky interested parties with the Postmas-ter-General (the Hon. J. G. Coates) yesterday morning. There were present Messrs A. R. Christian, T. Ballinger, Fleming, Hope JB. Gibbons, Esmond Greig, and C. E. Forrest. Mr A. T. Markman, Secretary Post and Telegraph Department; Mr E. A. Shrimpton, Chief Telegraph Engineer; and Mr A. Gi'bbs. Deputy-Chief Telegraph Engineer, were in attendance. PROPOSALS DETAILED. Mr A. R, Christian, said the deputation represented a conference of those interested., hold in Wellington a few days ago, at which the suggestions made by the Minister in a recent speech made by him at Dahnevirke were considered. The following resolutions, passed at the meeting of the Wellington Broadcasters. Ltd., were then submitted to the Minister as an indication of the proposals he was requested to discuss:— '‘(1) That one company or association be formed to control the whole of broadcasting in New Zealand on the lines suggested by the Postmaster-General. "(3) That a company be formed to raise sufficient funds to operate four broadcasting stations, one in each centre, in accordance with Government regulations, and that it be a limited liability company. “(8) That this conference suggests that for the scheme .£1 per license is necessary for broadcasting, and that the Government 'be asked to add their fee to this figure. “(4) Radio dealers shall be licensed at an annual fee of £25, and that this fee be paid to the Broadcasting Company. Also that the present trade broadcasting stations conducting broadcasting in the four centres be purchased at an independent valuation. That each resident radio dealer in any town shall pay the dealers’ license fee of £25 per annum.” Mr Christian said they would like to get the Minister’s ideas on the whole matter, and, if possible, ascertain if it was possible to have fixed definitely the amount of the license fee when tho necessary regulations would probably bo ready and get sufficient assurance to enable the company to arrange its finance. Those interested were practically unanimous in regard to the decisions oome to, and were prepared to proceed to busi. ness right away. It wa sestimated that ’ fees for 4000 «ets would be issued in the first year, and in the second year 12,000. In England the licenses increased with remarkable rapidity, and in' the speaker’s opinion broadcasting would be appreciated even more in New Zealand than it was in England. A fee of £25 per annum was suggested for dealers; and a receiving fee of .£1 wag proposed. THE REMOTE SETTLER'S. Mr Coates said the position of remote settlers would have to be very carefully considered. If thero were bo be only four stations, that would make it more difficult for the remote settler to get any benefit from the system. The intention of the authorities was that the man in the country should receive the benefit of the eervice.

It was remarked by Mr Shrimpton that there were eight broadcasting stations in Great Britain, with its large population, and he was of opinion that four broadcasting stations in New Zealand would bo quite sufficient to start with. There Would not be anything like the “interferences’’ in New Zealand that took, place in England. If the broadcasting people here could 'bring in 20,000 licenses they could have relay stations. Mr Coates said that in that case precautions could, be taken to see tnat people in isolated parts of the country were protected. Mr Shrimpton said that a person living, say, 100 miles from Wellington,, would be in a better position to get the whole broadcasting programme than persons living in the city. Mr Coates undertook to look into the proposals of the company, and, if satisfied with them, place them before Cabinet.